You are invited to attend a Day of Mindfulness (DOM) for health care and human service professionals, co-organized by Centre on Behavioral Health HKU and PVFHK Asian Institute of Applied Buddhism (AIAB). This DOM is part of our “Healthy Body, Healthy Mind” Initiative to integrate mindfulness practices to the physical and mental health fields. The foundations of this initiative are the teachings on the Discourse on Mindful Breathing (Anapanasati Sutta) and the Discourse on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness (Satipatthana Sutta), as taught by the Buddha about 2600 years ago. We also studied how the mind works, based on the teachings of manifestation-only Buddhist Psychology, which was formulated in the 4th century by the Indian Buddhist monk and philosopher Vasubandhu. Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh has used these teachings to form the foundation for mediation practices to help us nourish our body and mind, to develop insight and to help us transform pain and suffering into peace and happiness. Even though the teachings are from Buddhist tradition, the practices are non-sectarian and are open to people of all faiths.

In 2013, we will have a Day of Mindfulness for Health Care Professionals once every 3 months, on the 2nd Saturday of Jan, April, July and October. For the upcoming July 13, 2013 DOM, we will study ways to make ourselves more approachable, to cultivate communication, love and understanding with our loved ones, friends and colleagues. What are the reasons that make us un-approachable, difficult to talk to, and how to transform them? We will follow the texts of the “Discourse on Measuring and Reflecting” on these topics.

“My friends, a bhikkhu who is not caught in wrong desires and is not controlled by wrong desires is easy to approach and talk to. He does not praise himself and despise others; he is not easily angered or mastered by his anger; because he is not angry, he does not bear a grudge; because he is not angry, he is not bad-tempered; because he is not angry, he does not speak in a bad-tempered way; ……… he is not jealous and greedy; he is not hypocritical and deceitful; he is not stubborn and arrogant; he is not worldly nor does he cling to things that belong to this world and he does not find it difficult to let go. These, my friends, are the qualities that make it easy to approach and talk to him.

In the day of mindfulness, we will learn the practice of going back to our breath, anchoring our mind in the in-breath and out-breath. We become calm and clear when the mind and body are together in one place, with the help of our mindful breath. We will practice listening to the bell, walking meditation, eating meditation, exercise meditation (mindful movements), and relaxing meditation (total relaxation) … We practice to stop, to slowdown the thinking in our mind via bodily actions.

A sample programme schedule for the Day of Mindfulness is as follow:

9:30 Sitting and Slow Walking Meditation (indoor)

10:30 Lecture

12:30 Lunch

13:30 Total Relaxation

14:30 Group Discussion

16:00 Walking Meditation (outdoor)

16:30 Farewell

Location: Centre on Behavioral Health, The University of Hong Kong 2/F, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Building for Interdisciplinary Research, 5 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong

香港大學行為健康教研中心香港薄扶林沙宣道5號香港賽馬會跨學科研究大樓2樓

Fees: HKD100.00 per day (including light vegetarian lunch and tea)

How to register: Register online at www.pvfhk.org, the Plum Village Foundation Hong Kong Website. Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis. There are only 60 spaces available.